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Summary

The site of Woodbury QF bombing decoy site is visible as a series of earthwork bank and ditched features on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards and visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2016.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks of Second World War Woodbury QF bombing decoy site

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOMBING DECOY (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 RS 4272-73 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

The bombing decoy site is visible as a series of earthwork bank and ditched features.

Dobinson, C. S., 1996, Bombing decoys of WWII (Report - non-specific). SDV324125.

Site of Woodbury QF Bombing Decoy for RAF Exeter. QF Site used diversionary fires to simulate damage from incendiary bombing. Parent site and control post at RAF Exeter.

Francis, P., 1999, Exeter Airport. Historic Airport Survey for Devon County Council & East Devon District Council, 60 (Report - non-specific). SDV323390.

Reference to one Corporal and five airmen reporting to the new 'QF' site at Woodbury on 18 April 1941.

Exeter Archaeology, 2007, East Devon Access Land Archaeological Survey 2007, 61-62, Site I (Archive - Survey). SDV351571.

There is a 1941 reference to a ‘QF’ bombing decoy site at Woodbury. The site used diversionary fires to simulate damage from incendiary bombing. Parent site and control post at RAF Exeter (grid reference is actually within Colaton Raleigh).

Public footpath runs through this general area but existence/whereabouts of any associated features unknown. Be aware of the potential existence of features during vegetation clearance in this area and avoid damaging any exposed features.

Good candidate for inclusion in interpretation of World War Two feature/sites.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY0487; SY0488 22-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356259.

The remains of the bombing decoy site are visible as partial earthwork banked features.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

The site of Woodbury QF bombing decoy site is visible as a series of earthwork bank and ditched features on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards, on Colaton Raleigh Common. The site occupies an area of approximately 1.45 hectares of gentle to moderate southeast facing slope, towards the northern fringe of the common. It comprises four discrete earthwork features of various size and shape, with the northern two distinctly rectilinear in form, whilst those to the south being more irregular. All four appear however, to be defined by a shallow fire break ditch, which is flanked by both an inner and outer bank or walled structure. The remains of the bombing decoy site remain visible as partial earthwork banked or walled features on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2010. The site of the generator building and control shelter for the decoy is located to the southwest.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project Site Visit (Site Visit). SDV357653.

A site visit was carried out here on the 23-Oct-2015. Although the site is covered with thick gorse and heathland vegetation, the remains of the southeastern two earthworks are clearly visible as prominent bank and ditched features, with a series of surviving and probably contemporary concrete posts of a former fence around each of these.

Bluesky International, 2016, LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects, LIDAR SY0487; SY0488 Bluesky International DTM 24-APR-2016 (Cartographic). SDV359714.

Earthwork banks and ditches are visible.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2020, East Devon AONB Lidar Assessment and Desk based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV363914.

Earthwork banks and ditches of the Second World War decoy site are visible on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2016. No additional detail was recorded from the East Mid Devon Rivers Catchment NMP transcriptions.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV323390	Report - non-specific: Francis, P.. 1999. Exeter Airport. Historic Airport Survey for Devon County Council & East Devon District Council. Airfield Research Publishing Report. Digital + A4. 60.
SDV324125	Report - non-specific: Dobinson, C. S.. 1996. Bombing decoys of WWII. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. III. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV351571	Archive - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2007. East Devon Access Land Archaeological Survey 2007. East Devon Access Land Archaeological Survey 2007. Mixed Archive Material + Digital. 61-62, Site I.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 RS 4272-73 13-APR-1946. [Mapped feature: #99780 ]
SDV356259	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY0487; SY0488 22-MAY-2010.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV357653	Site Visit: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project Site Visit. AC Archaeology. Digital.
	Linked images:9
SDV359714	Cartographic: Bluesky International. 2016. LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects. Not applicable. Digital. LIDAR SY0487; SY0488 Bluesky International DTM 24-APR-2016.
SDV363914	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2020. East Devon AONB Lidar Assessment and Desk based Assessment. Digital.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)
• EDV8340 - East Devon AONB Lidar Assessment and Desk based Assessment

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